Sunday, May 24, 2020

Hey folks, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. I've been working on a rather large generator for use with Cubicle 7's new game Age of Sigmar: Soulbound. I really love its setting, something I had initially written off due to being a huge fan of classic Warhammer Fantasy. I treated myself to the book when it was initially released and fell in love. It is the mash-up of Saturday Morning Cartoons, goofy toyetic action figure nonsense, weird metal album cover fantasylands, and a lot of other stuff that inspires me when I'm in a less serious mood.

I actually really dig how it does dice pools on top of everything else.

I'm also attaching this to a blogpost for a few reasons:
1. So I can say that the intellectual property of this is all property of Games Workshop because I know that's a thing they like.
2. So I link it here and have it be something people will associate with me, which I think is an okay thing to do because I wrote everything in it and it took a lot of time and effort.

I'm working on a lot of serious stuff, as well as graduate school, so its fun to make something fun. I intend to run the game in a few months, once my current Best Left Buried campaign is over.

That all said, click here to go to the randomizer. It answers all ten questions from character creation while being mostly archetype neutral. It skews more towards the types of people who have skin and don't live underwater, and that's mostly due to Sylvaneth and Idoneth being kinda wild cards for me. I think it all still works though and you can even make a Stormcast Eternal with most of the things presented herein.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Bard“Now it isn’t my fault that I, of smoldering gaze and a smile as white as moonlight, can woo three generations of uptight nobility into seeking me out whilst I lounge in their boudoir, priming my instrument for their pleasure. In truth I think it is our society which is to blame for putting such burdens of position upon young souls and souls young at heart who wish to be ravished by the imagined what if, of someone other than who they are bound. Thus the song, thus the dance, thus the dreams, thus the scandal.” - the Bard

"...Do you even hear yourself when you talk?" - Sensible Companions

Anyone will tell you that a Bard is a monster. Someone with a winning smile, an aesthetic somehow sublime even when waist deep in filth; someone with a voice that enrapts and seduces with all the possibilities of a better life.They entertain, naturally beguiling, drawing crowds and lacing their lyrics with infatuating thoughts. They fancy themselves true voices of the people, but in truth they know they can only exist among those who need their faint embers of hope enkindled. Those of true ambition, and deepest despair, have no time for such wastrels.

Secrets & Scandals: Bards have a nature about them which makes them seem good to talk to. This is universally, always, a bad idea. The Bard may, when conversing with individuals, spend a point of Grip to make a Wits check. On a successful roll, the party the Bard is talking to reveals; unintentionally, something personal or ripe for their own destruction.

This information may be a casual secret, an assumed desire, an emotional tell; not necessarily true, but something the Bard can convince others is true and manipulate for their own personal gain. The Bard holds the Upper Hand on rolls made to manipulate others into believing whatever scandal they conjure up about their victim.

The Bard may release this benefit in exchange for being held to no consequence for their wrong-doings, demanding blackmail payment, passing the blame on to another for the scandal, or manipulating the victim to anger or sorrow at the Bard’s discretion.

Bad Influence: Bards have the Upper Hand when encouraging others to engage in acts of hedonism, foolishness, bad faith, debauchery, or in pursuit of darkly-held desires. If the Bard is able to convince someone to do something they would not otherwise wish to do; such as getting a former alcoholic turned friar to succumb to drinking again, or getting a childhood crush to confess to a now married person despite the humiliation; the Bard regains 1d3 Grip.

Celebrity Quality: Bards are adored by the public for their aesthetic, their voice, and the romanticism applied to what others assume to be natural bravado and charisma. Bards can spend a point of Grip to attract a crowd in places where this would make sense (in a tavern, the village square, anywhere in a big city.) Doing this causes the Bard to be Against the Odds with local authorities, such as respected elders, scornful parents, bitter guards, and senior religious officials.

Intolerable Company: For as much as the public adores the Bard, their companions generally find them to be troublesome at the best of times. Other members of the Bard’s party act Against the Odds to aid, rescue, or help the Bard if the Bard has made use of their Secrets & Scandal within the last 24 hours. Furthermore, if the current situation has been made overtly worse by the Bard’s Bad Influence, party members must spend a point of Grip to even attempt to aid the Bard.

Dastards and Everymen of backgrounds that would make them easy prey for a Bard do not consider the Bard to be intolerable company and may aid them as usual.

Suggested Advancements: Take Child of Prophecy if your Bard is an absolute prat with delusions of grandeur. Take Battle Frenzy if your Bard has a violent temper when things don’t go their way. Take Eldritch Pact if your Bard is only so talented and beautiful because of background dealings with monstrosities from beyond the veil.

Note: I don't like Bards, and if there has to be one in Best Left Buried, I'd enjoy it to feel like a liability to have around. They can gather crowds, they can get useful blackmail, they can do and make people do terrible things because peer pressure; because why not trust the handsome/beautiful stranger? They wouldn't lead you wrong.

Once again I don't want to step on the niche of a Scholar class, as they deserve to have the lore abilities. Scholars can know about Ghouls, Bards can convince you they saw the deacon making love to one based on a slur of the speech or a misplaced glance. They aren't inherently musical individuals from a mechanical standpoint, but there's nothing stopping you from having them do all this while cranking a hurdy-gurdy.

Bards are designed to be socially based, not of the greatest use in the crypt; but they can cause enough havoc to ensure you get paid ample bits more than what you signed up for by virtue of blackmailing their hosts or driving them to violence or humiliation paid for by another patron. Their downside is of course, that Bards are very scorned by authority proper---as well as most other cryptdiggers who don't much appreciate having a shitty pretty boy accompanying them, strumming on loots, and ticking off the rabble.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

“Friends, clerics, and thrice-anointed members of this, the lavish House of Chalices; I have the honor, nay, the privilege of introducing you to the Company of the Twelve. They’ve slain the fallen archon of Karam-Kotal, they routed the draconic horrors of the Southern Steppe! They come to you now, vaunted in deed, to humbly offer their service to your masters at the behest of their own!”

Heralds, Historical.

Heralds are not what one would often think of as heroes. They are performers, their craft; that of the lie you wish to believe. They monger in reputation and pomposity, offering up embellished tales of mighty deeds and desirable connections between the ruling class and those who delve the dark places of the world. They are notably glib, guileful, and always in the service of more wicked and influential sorts.

Comforting Lies: Heralds are masters of spinning the truth and rousing speeches meant to manipulate their fellow cryptdiggers from the pits of despair. Once per adventuring day, the Herald may bid a number of points of Grip and make a Wits check with a target number of 8+Grip bet. On a successful roll, all those in the presence of the Herald recover Grip equal to the amount bet. The Herald can not recover Grip in doing this. They find no comfort in these lies.

The Honor, Nay, the Privilege: Heralds have the Upper Hand when introducing themselves, their company, or their party to high-ranking members of society such as nobles, military officers, academics, or clergy. Heralds may spend a point of Grip to grant the Upper Hand to other party members during said introductions, even if that character would otherwise be hated, spat upon, or be otherwise Against the Odds.

The Company Man: Heralds are always assumed to be lickspittle to the superior officers within their cryptdigger company, for without their master’s favor they lack any power or authority. Heralds are Against the Odds to lie to their superiors or act against them. Heralds must make a Grip check if they are ever accused of sedition or betrayal by higher ranking members of the company (including other archetypes such as Veterans.)

Suggested Advancements: Take Master of Deceit if your Herald knows exactly what it is their line of work calls for. Take Ears of the Owl if they’ve spent some time in court and know they shouldn’t trust anyone. Take The Holy Song of War if your Herald has learned that faith is an opiate best shared with masses that can throw their weight around

Note: As there was talk of a desire for a Bard for Best Left Buried, I thought to cobble together a character archetype that better fits the tone of the implied setting and the mercenary company implications therein. Thus rather than a magic musical troubadour (which is silly) who knows lore (which steps on the niche of the Scholar), you get the Herald, a pompous social sort who is good at making connections, lying to benefit allies after a calamity befalls them, and who is adherent to the company's social order (as without it they lack any structure). They are one part A Knight's Tale Chaucer, one part Jeff Winger, and a few parts spy, company loyalist, and most likely to fall into alcoholism type face character.

As with much ofBest Left Buried, the social characters shouldn't be entirely social-based. The Herald exists usefully in the crypt as a means to recover Grip at the cost of their own, and they have a use when getting jobs from important patrons (as well as when covering up for less than pleasant party members during said social interactions). Their downside is a bit less downside than some other archetypes due to its specificity; but the penalty is a bit harsher (beyond what will happen on a narrative level) and anyone else in the party who accuses them of betrayal/sedition can also invoke it (thus Veterans have more power/position, and if the party has a leader proper, they too will wield this over with the Herald.) They will likely work in interesting tandem with Dastards and Cutthroats, potentially allowing for a very dashing musketeer type trio.

Monday, May 4, 2020

Just a quick OSE-take of a favorite enemy group which might be able to function as Player Characters in the larger woodland region. No additional randomizers or anything as I'm working on other projects; but felt the desire to give this a shot and see how it turns out. It is, from a design perspective, a hodgepodge of OSE Barbarian, Half-Orc, Ranger and a smidge of Knight; which I think encapsulates the general vibe of Goatmen as a whole, with room to be a Longhorn or Shorthorn as a bit of customization.

Woldish Goatmen

The horned folk of the High Wold, generally of evil bent and wicked desire. Equal to humans in intellect, but of a devil’s cunning. Some will collaborate with the soulless animals of humanity and the perfidious demi-fey of the wilds to increase their personal power and grasp at dangerous ambitions.

Special: A Woldish Goatman with at least 13 in one prime requisite gains a 5% bonus to experience. If a Woldish Goatman has an INT, CHA, or WIS of 13+ they will automatically be a Longhorn come 5th level.

Longhorn Gazes & Shorthorn Chicanery

Upon reaching 5th level, the Woldish Goatman’s hierarchical position is all but certain. The character must choose between being a Longhorn and a Shorthorn.

Being a Longhorn...

Those who are Longhorns gain the use of a terrible gaze, which grants the use of a Charm spell once per day. Those afflicted by the gaze are additionally unable to harm the Longhorn until the sunrise of the following day. Additionally the butt attack of a Longhorn increases to a d8 damage dice.

But to their detriment Longhorns are expected to serve as the sadistic noble knights of their people. They must engage in Single Combat as Knights do (See Advanced Fantasy Genre Rules, p28). They will also be expected to serve one of the Goatlords, which will grant them enemies of others. Being a hedge knight will gain them further enemies without any diplomatic benefit.

Being a Shorthorn...

Shorthorns are not blessed with a sorcerous gaze or powerful horns, and the shame of their position leads to greater efforts in chicanery and thuggery whilst adventuring. Shorthorn gain a +1 AC bonus due to the abuses suffered leading to a resilient hide, and they gain a 3-in-6 chance of going unnoticed when sneaking up on a target. If the Shorthorn goes unnoticed, the target may be surprised.

Shorthorns occupy a lower role in society, but as a result little is expected of them to serve. Humanity elsewhere in the Wold look upon a Shorthorn with far less fear than they gaze upon a Longhorn; and as such the hatreds suffered are somewhat less. Shorthorn are not expected to swear fealty to any Goatlord, it is assumed by any Longhorn that a Shorthorn must already be owned chattel. As such, Shorthorns can make for reliable spies and informants due to their innocuous position.

Goatmen of the Wold can use the following skills with the chance of success shown in the matrix below:

▶ Climb sheer surfaces (CS): Only applies to natural surfaces (e.g. tree trunks, cliff faces). A skill roll is required for each 50’ height to be climbed. Failure indicates that the Goatman falls at the halfway point, suffering falling damage. They are goats after all.

▶ Hide in shadows (HS): Requires the Goatman to be motionless—they can neither attack nor move while hiding.

▶ Move silently (MS): A Goatman may attempt to sneak past enemies.

Combat

Goatmen can use all types of weapons and can use leather armour, chainmail, and shields. Longhorns may wear plate, but in doing so lose their ability to Climb Sheer Surfaces.Goatmen also possess an innate headbutt attack, which deals d4 damage.

Disdain of Drune & Witches

The Woldish Goatmen have long had poor dealings with the Watchers of the Wood and the Witches of the region. They will not knowing assist either such force and any attempts made to parlay with such forces (not intended for outright treachery) are made with a -2 penalty to reaction rolls. Longhorns who are noted for receiving aid from these forces will be assumed traitors to their people; Shorthorns will be assumed to be bewitched and pitiable.

Foraging and Hunting

A party possessing a Woldish Goatman succeeds at foraging with a 2-in-6 chance, and finds prey when hunting with a 2-in-6 chance. If it is a Shorthorn, the foraging chance is increased to 4-in-6; if it is a Longhorn the hunting chance is increased to 4-in-6.

The Woldish Goatmen are almost universally reviled within the Dolmenwood, as such an retainer in their employ have their loyalty score reduced by one. Longhorns will never serve a Shorthorn, asking such is grounds for a duel. This penalty is not present for Shorthorns serving a Longhorn.

After Reaching 9th Level

A Woldish Goatman may make the fool’s errand of seeking true power and authority, carving out a dominion within the wilderness. Longhorns may build a castle of stronghold and control the surrounding lands, becoming known as a Lord or by some other title won through belligerence against their now rival Goatlord peers.

Shorthorns will never be accepted as rulers, and thus they may establish a village under the service of a proper lord, or establish a rebel stronghold, attracting 2d6 bandits, rebels, and other goatmen destined for shorthorn nothingness. These rebels will serve the character with some reliability, but if killed or enslaved by Longhorns, the PC will not be able to attract new rebels to replace them (unless daring raids are performed).